Dec. 13, 2013

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Adorned with ornaments, stars and lights, a Christmas tree brings the joyous spirit of the holiday season. Though the use of fresh-cut Christmas trees is still the traditional choice for holiday celebration, there is a growing interest in selecting a living container grown Christmas tree.

One of the chief advantages of a living Christmas tree is that it can continue to live and bring joyous memories even after the holiday season and can be reused for the next Christmas celebration. Or, the living Christmas tree can be planted as an ornamental plant in the outdoor landscape the following growing season.

If you opt for a living Christmas tree, give careful consideration to your outdoor site selection and species choice. Conifers like Norway spruce, Black Hills spruce, Serbian spruce and white fir are well adapted to our region and require ample outdoor planting space (but can vary depending on the cultivar).

Once you have made the choice, purchase the conifer species closer to the holiday time and set the container tree indoors in a cool spot away from heat sources. You can place the container tree indoors for a maximum of two weeks. During this two week period, keep an eye on the soil moisture of the container tree and water only when the surface of the soil begins to dry out.

After a successful indoor display, hold the living Christmas tree in an unheated garage. Mound the outer edges of the container heavily with mulches like sawdust, peat, hay, or even dirt to prevent the roots from freezing out. Make a regular visit to check the soil moisture in the container and water when needed. In spring, move the container tree outside and plant in the desired spot in the landscape as an ornamental tree, or you could still continue to grow outside in the container.

Vijai Pandian is horticultural agent/educator for Brown County University of Wisconsin-Extension.